The weight-reduction of engine and compression components is highly sought for improved efficiency, lower operating costs, reduction of air-pollution, and to minimize dependence on foreign resources. In an effort to reduce the weight of force-transmitting assemblies such as the piston, wrist-pin, connecting-rod, and bearings, fundamental structural dynamics must be considered. A particular design approach involves the use of lightweight polymers composites to comprise some or all of these components.
Hence, a specific consideration lies in the operating dynamics of a polymer wrist-pin, because unlike the higher tensile strength of metal wrist-pins, a polymer wrist-pin of the traditional configuration will tend to flex under lighter compression loads on both sides of the connecting-rod along the lateral plane of the wrist-pin. Therefore, the asymmetry of a polymer wrist-pin must be appropriately reinforced, and such acquired reinforcement may serve to help design wrist-pins that are composed of metal.
What is needed is a wrist-pin that addresses the various force loading dynamics for appropriate polymers, as well as for metal construction. This design would provide an important link for successful force transmission from cylinder to crankshaft, via the piston, wrist-pin and connecting-rod, respectively.